Martinez a Suitable Replacement For Wenger?

After being in charge of Arsenal for 18 years, questions are always going to be asked about just when will Arsene Wenger retire?

That question has been a little more free flowing over the last few years as the relationship between manager and fans becomes more and more strained as the lack of spending and silverware continues (whether that strain is right or wrong is another discussion entirely).

However despite having a little wobble here and there, I would say there`s still no manager in the world better suited to manage Arsenal than Arsene Wenger.

That said, I`m not stupid enough to believe that Arsene can go on forever and we`ll all ride off into the sunset with a shed load of trophies. A day will come when Wenger does leave and need to be replaced.

As Manchester United have illustrated this season, when a man has ruled the roost for such a long time a transition to a new manager is not such an easy task to accomplish. So it makes sense to take your time with these things and get the job done properly.

The Daily Star (I know I know) suggested today that despite the likelihood being that Wenger will sign a two year contract extension, The Gunners are looking to Everton`s Roberto Martinez as the Frenchman`s long term successor.

So I`m here to ask …. How would you feel if this turns out to be true?

I for one would be delighted. First and foremost Martinez is a great manager, maybe he`s not the best in the world, but neither was Wenger when he arrived at the club.

He`s also spent the early part of his management career paying his dues. Managing is a very difficult job and you only need to look at Tim Sherwood to understand what happens when you`re thrown in at the deep end. Martinez started his managerial career at Swansea guiding them to become league one champions before taking of the reigns at Wigan.

Ok, Wigan ended up being relegated, however that club was on the cusp of dropping down a division long before Martinez arrived and with a severe lack of funds he did well to keep them up for a couple of seasons before doing the unthinkable and winning the FA Cup with the pie munchers in that amazing final against Man City last year.

Martinez eventually replaced David Moyes at Everton and subsequently has the Toffees performing better than Moyes can manage with Manchester United.

A eloquent, intelligent and classy person, Martinez` brand of football is something that I believe would mesh fantastically well with Arsenal Football Club, and while I wouldn`t necessarily want Martinez to oust Arsene Wenger, I would be more than happy for him to replace our loyal Frenchman when the sad day arrives that he retires.

This is all complete speculation of course, but isn`t that what fan sites are for?

Comments

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It would be better to be the manager that follows the manager who follows Wenger. I can understand that Martinez is rightly getting credit for the improvement at Everton but just as it takes 2 or 3 seasons to build a decent team it takes much the same to unpick a decent side. Moyes is having to cope with a fair amount of squad neglect inherited from Fergie whereas Martinez may well be benefiting from some good structural work by Moyes. In short it's probably too early to judge Martinez confidently but I can see that he does have some merit. Unless Wenger decides to go this summer though the club will have time enough to make their minds up.

It's always difficult to follow a successful manager. It might seem easy for someone to do better than Wenger but if the next guy just drops out of the CL then it may be difficult for him to recover. In which case he'll be Graham's Rioch - a useful buffer for the next man in. It might be easier though 2 or 3 years down the line when FFP should be having more of an impact.

I for one really hope Le Boss accepts the 2 year extension that is reportedly on offer. Another cup is definitely possible if he stays at the helm. Of course one day he'll have to step down and I can't see him going to another club unless it is something really leftfield (Japan again?). A replacement would have to be on the cards therefore and whilst I see the merits in Martinez as a manager and a replacement he, just like Moyes doesn't have the experience of managing at a club this size. Of course neither did Wenger yeah yeah. But I see management of a huge club like ours these days means a lot more work from not only club management, player selection, transfer policy, media handling but overall more and more pressure. In way I think Wenger and SAF are one a kinds, dinosaurs of their age. We can't expect another one of them for a while. Back to Martinez I see him in the same category as Moyes and whilst his stock has fallen considerable since taking over at United I think overall it's hard to grasp how a manager can work out in the short term. I accept Martinez is a good manager but I think we need someone more high profile, which doesn't mean success or whatever in fact it doesn't mean anything but my choice would be something along the lines of Jurgen Klopp. Again he could turn out to be a pile of *****e, or Martinez could do the double. I think what we can agree on is that Wenger will choose or at least have a large say in who takes over from him. So therefore if we're happy with Wenger at the moment, in my opinion ion i'd be happy with whoever he chooses.

I definitely would be happy with Martinez. He knows the PL and is tactically astute. It would be really interesting to see what he could do with arsenal, in the same way how Rodgers has done well at Liverpool.

Martinez has had an awful lot of credit for last year's FA Cup win over City and for doing well with Everton this season but Wigan got relegated last year, on HIS watch. I think it's far too early to be judging his suitability for us. If Wenger decided to up-sticks this summer, I cannot say in all honesty, that I'd be happy with Martinez- I'd expect a much bigger name, to be honest. I agree with Amos's post.